The Ultimate Garbage Disposal Quiz

Efficient, smooth and clean garbage disposal is the hallmark of any well-run home. Nowadays, the market is flooded with garbage disposals, each one claiming to be better than the next. Clog-free, anti-smell, anti-bacterial, low-noise -- how on earth do you choose? Whiz through this squeaky-clean garbage disposal quiz and find out.

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Question 1 of 20

What are the main parts of a garbage disposal unit?

a silicon compartment with rotating blades

a metal cylinder and rotating impellers

Most home garbage disposal units have a metal cylinder and rotating impellers. Sometimes they have additional grinders.

a heavy-duty plastic tube and odor-neutralizing air holes

Question 2 of 20

Which of these could get lodged in the disposal unit?

coin purses and small electronic gadgets

newspaper cuttings and sawdust shavings

apricot pits, shrimp shells and large bones

Only things that are likely to go down with your actual garbage, such as apricot pits, shrimp shells and large bones, are likely to get jammed and require manual removal.

Question 3 of 20

What is the safest way to remove jammed items from the disposal unit?

Ask help from someone with small hands who can easily reach in to the unit.

Disable the power supply and preferably use tongs or tweezers.

This is not only the safest way, it's the ONLY way to remove lodged items. You must cut off the power supply, then try using an instrument.

Wear rubber gloves and gently insert your hand inside.

Question 4 of 20

If the garbage disposal smells, what's a good cure-all?

Insert ice cubes and rock salt, then run the disposal for a few seconds under running water.

The best cure is two cups of ice cubes with one cup of rock salt. Then turn on the appliance for a few seconds under running water. It's a wonder-cure for bad smells.

Pour in bleach and turn on the unit.

Use lemon oil essence. Put in a few drops, then turn on the unit for 10 seconds.

Question 5 of 20

For good maintenance, you should purge the drain line on a regular basis. What does this involve?

Pour a corrosive chemical down the drain to eat away at the debris.

Allow the disposal unit to remain idle for 24 hours, allowing all debris to disintegrate and decompose.

Turn on the unit, allowing the water to wash away all debris.

Simply plug the sink, fill it with water, remove the plug, turn on the unit and allow the water to do its job. You'd be amazed at how effectively the water washes away any icky foodstuffs.

Question 6 of 20

Why do some people specifically put citrus peels in their garbage disposal?

because they're more readily available than other fruit peels

to dispose of them

to deodorize their sinks

They're not only good for chocolate coating -- they also work wonders at deodorizing nasty garbage disposal odors.

Question 7 of 20

If you wanted to install a garbage disposal yourself, what kind of circuit breaker would you need?

a 120-volt, 20-amp one

The type of circuit breaker you need is a 120-volt, 20-amp one.

a powerful one

a 220-volt, 60-amp one

Question 8 of 20

Which of the following would be helpful when you install a garbage disposal?

garbage scraps for testing, electric drill and small-screwdriver kit

a Phillips-head screwdriver, plastic sheeting and superglue

plumber's putty, pipe wrench, bucket and rags

Of course, you'll need other equipment besides this, but you will definitely be needing plumber's putty, a pipe wrench, a bucket and rags.

Question 9 of 20

How do you install a garbage disposal if you have a dishwasher?

You join the drain line with the inlet port at the side of the disposal.

You make sure that the drain line connects with the inlet port that is at the side of the disposal. When you've finished your handiwork, do a test run to make sure that both are working properly.

You connect the "J" trap with the disposal outlet pipe.

You make sure they are placed far from one another so that each can operate with its own piping.

Question 10 of 20

If the disposal has jammed, what might the problem be?

There may be vegetable scraps inside the disposal unit.

You've used the wrong voltage to wire your disposal unit.

There may be objects like bottle caps or silverware that have fallen through the splashguard.

Check it out with the help of a flashlight, but chances are that you've dropped solid stuff down there like bottle caps or silverware.

Question 11 of 20

Many brands of garbage disposal come supplied with a wrench. What is the name of this wrench?

an Allen wrench

There are all kinds of wrenches, each with its own purpose, but the name you seek is the Allen wrench.

a combination wrench

a pipe wrench

Question 12 of 20

How do you fix a clogged drain?

It's difficult to do by yourself. Your best bet is to call in a professional.

Open the "P" trap with a wrench and clean it out.

For most clogged drains, it's sufficient to put a bucket under the drain, use a wrench to open the "P" trap and clean it out.

Unscrew the garbage disposal unit and reach in to locate the offending clog. Then simply re-screw into place.

Question 13 of 20

When would you need to press the reset button on the disposal?

when it has automatically shut down due to a power overload

The reset button is there to protect your machine against power overload. If this is what's happened, you press the reset and test to see if it is working again.

each time you turn on the unit after a 24-hour break in use

whenever it appears to be too full

Question 14 of 20

What could you use to sharpen the rotating blades?

ice

It sounds like a cool solution to blunt blades and it is! Cool them down and sharpen them at the same time with ice!

any organic matter

sodium chloride

Question 15 of 20

If your family member has poured grease down the garbage disposal (despite your admonitions against this), what can you do about it?

Not much at all. With time, it'll get washed away.

Try flushing it through with hot water for several minutes.

Try to flush the grease through the system by running the hot water faucet for several minutes.

Pour in a half cup of soap detergent to dilute the grease.

Question 16 of 20

What's the minimum horsepower you need for a garbage disposal motor?

two-and-a-half horsepower

three horsepower

one-half horsepower

Since it's not a big appliance like an air conditioner, you'd need a minimum of only one-half horsepower motor.

Question 17 of 20

What's the relationship between the size of the garbage disposal and the noise it makes?

It makes no difference to the noise -- any size unit makes the same low hum sound.

The smaller it is, the quieter it is.

The bigger it is, the quieter it is.

By and large, the bigger the unit is, the more likely it will be a quiet one.

Question 18 of 20

What brand is considered to be the "Cadillac" of garbage disposals?

the Waste King Gourmet series

This is undoubtedly a tricky question to answer since it's rather subjective. But ask around and you'll find that most people will say the Waste King Gourmet series is the king of them all.

the Anaheim garbage disposal

the Viking disposer

Question 19 of 20

What is the Insinkerator brand's selling point?

anti-bacterial and anti-smell features

high-performance motor, home service warranty and easy installation

While the answer may include all of the above, the Insinkerator's self-proclaimed selling point is its high-performance motor, home service warranty and easy installation.

non-corrosive rotating blades and low cost

Question 20 of 20

In what way is the Viking disposer superior to other models?

It washes through any excess food scraps and maintains a fresher system.

It has a muffled sound due to its patented insulation system.

The Viking disposer has a specially patented sound-absorption insulation system.